


Cast Some Light

by fromthebeginningthen



Series: Cast Some Light [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hank cries, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 05:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19761316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthebeginningthen/pseuds/fromthebeginningthen
Summary: After a particularly tough case, Connor takes care of Hank.Part 1 is the m/m version. Part 2 is the f/f version of this fic if you would prefer Detroit Become Lesbians!





	Cast Some Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [@BIGHANK](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%40BIGHANK).



> Written for [@BIGHANK](https://archiveofourown.org/users/piano_fire/pseuds/BIGHANK/works) who's having a really tough time right now and I wanted to give him comfort the only way internet friends can - through cathartic fanfiction.
> 
> Fic takes place about a year and a half after the revolution succeeded and the two of them have been dating for just over a year.
> 
> Self-edited to the best of my ability.
> 
> Trigger warnings: non-graphic mention of child death, mention of past alcohol abuse.

The case was easy. Well, relatively speaking. A violently abusive father killed his wife and kid over impending divorce papers. His clean up job was shoddy, his alibi made no sense, and security cameras caught him dumping the fucking bodies.

So it was easy to build a case against him and get him sent away for life. But it wasn’t easy to deal with it. Hank was stronger these days. He had therapy, sobriety, and a boyfriend so good he wondered if Connor’s programming was actually for a life partner and not a detective. But Hank wasn’t made of steel either. He could bend and break.

And after they returned home from court, the composure Hank maintained through years of practice compartmentalizing, started cracking. He headed straight for his room, ignoring Sumo and not even bothering to take off his shoes. What did it matter? What did anything matter?

Hank laid down in their bed and instead of air, it felt like he was surrounded by lead. It weighed down on him from all sides and felt suffocating. It was only times like these that he thought about running to the nearest liquor store and chugging half a bottle of Black Lamb before checking out.

It’d been over a year since his last drink. General cravings weren’t really his problem anymore. Triggers were.

~~~~~

Connor placed his suit jacket neatly over the back of the couch then crouched down to greet Sumo.

The dog could sense the sadness radiating off of his owners and he whined into Connor’s hands.

Connor soothed him by calling him a good boy and letting him out the back door into their backyard. He dragged his hands down his face and sighed heavily.

The case was...difficult. It never got easier to see the atrocities that people would commit, human and android alike. But, child deaths were the worst. He could tell how much it was affecting Hank while they worked, but there wasn’t much he could do until it was out of their hands.

The last week he just made sure Hank was eating enough, even if it meant letting him have greasy meals. Things were quiet in the home though. At the end of each shift, they’d just sit on the couch. Hank would pretend to watch tv and Connor would pretend to read, but both of their minds were elsewhere.

Connor didn’t want Hank to fall into another depressive episode, but he couldn’t stop it if that was the case. That was just life. But he _could_ get him through it.

A little window pinged in his HUD, which read “good job.” He closed it, one side of his mouth slightly lifting at the corner. That was something his therapist had suggested: acknowledging the times he accepted something that was out of his control and focused on what _was_.

The acknowledgment pushed him into movement. Connor peeked into the bedroom and saw Hank curled up on his side, facing away from the door. A quick scan showed he was in good health besides slightly elevated cholesterol levels. They were still working on that.

Connor crossed over to the bathroom and bent over to plug the tub’s drain. Then he turned the water on and made sure it was coming out at the optimal temperature for relaxation, a nice 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

He stood up and searched for a bottle of bubble bath he stored in the cabinet under the sink. He found what he was looking for and poured a good amount under the running water. Instantly, bubbles began forming and the scent of lemongrass started filling the air. Connor let Hank think he paid for this expensive soap because of the supposed health properties. Really, he just enjoyed the smell and it lingered on Hank’s skin all day if he used it. It was all the more an excuse to press his face into Hank’s neck.

When the tub finished filling, Connor shut off the water and went to let Sumo back inside. The dog went into the living room and immediately laid down. They were all tired it seemed.

Connor went into the bedroom and sat down on the side of the bed Hank was facing. He brushed the hair out of Hank’s face and could see that his eyes were closed.

“I know you’re not asleep yet. I have something for you.”

Hank didn’t reply.

Connor turned his attention toward taking off Hank’s shoes and set them on the floor, followed by his socks. “Come on, we’re moving to the bathroom.”

Hank looked at him now, but he didn’t make any move to get up. No problem. Connor took his arm and used his strength to pull Hank into a sitting position. He hugged Hank to his chest and said, “I promise you can lay back down in a minute.”

He leaned back and took Hank’s hands, pulling again. This time Hank followed the movement and stood. Connor smiled at him and led him back out and into the bathroom.

Hank stiffened in the doorway and said, “Con, I’m really not in the mood right now.”

“I don’t want to make love right now, it’s just a bath.”

Hank softened at that. Connor called every form of sex they had “making love.” At first, it made him blush, but now he found it sweet and was just thankful that at least Connor stopped calling it “intercourse.”

Connor pulled the jacket off Hank’s shoulders. “Let me take care of you, love.”

“Okay,” Hank said.

When they were both completely undressed, Connor got in the tub first and motioned for Hank to sit in front of him. Hank stepped in and Connor guided him until Hank was laying back against Connor’s chest.

Connor was smaller, but he did his best to completely surround Hank. He wrapped his arms around Hank’s barrel chest and tucked his chin over Hank’s shoulder. He also internally thanked his creators for making his legs long enough to wrap comfortably around Hank’s waist. He felt like a koala wrapped around a tree. A very big, comforting tree.

It took a few minutes, but the tension in Hank’s body finally melted away and he let himself relax fully into Connor’s embrace. Unlike earlier, the weight was welcome and grounding. Protective in a way that made him want to stop holding everything in. He wanted to be held and caressed and told everything was going to be okay. He needed it.

The first shuddered breath that left his mouth wasn’t a surprise. But the audible sob that followed it was. But once it started, he couldn’t really stop it.

Connor held him tighter as he started crying.

Hank managed to get a few sentences out. “He looked like Cole.”

“I know.”

“How could anyone do this?”

“I don’t know.”

Connor wished that people didn’t commit heinous crimes and that senseless violence didn’t exist. The only peace he could make with it was in putting the perpetrators away.

And right now, selfishly, he wished it didn’t exist just so Hank wouldn’t feel this way.

Hank felt like he was grieving for his son again. And he knew it would keep happening. Every time he got a case like this. Maybe it was time to retire, he’d given enough of his life to the force anyway. He just worried about what would happen to Connor if he wasn’t there.

Connor’s heart was breaking for Hank. He held his partner close until the sobs weren’t so big and Hank’s shoulders stopped shaking. Hank hadn’t stopped crying completely, but it was less bone wracking.

Connor pressed kisses to his shoulders and entangled their fingers together. “Hank, tell me how to help.”

Hank squeezed his hands. “You’re helping, sweetheart.”

Hank turned his head to the side and Connor leaned over to kiss him. It was one of comfort and reassurance. Connor pulled away first and reached a hand up to wipe away the tears still lingering on Hank’s cheeks. He accidentally left bubbles behind in the process and Hank smiled at the feeling.

“Move forward, I’m going to wash your hair,” Connor said.

When Hank did as asked, Connor sat up straight and cupped water in between his hands. He let it drop over Hank’s head and did this a few times until his hair was sufficiently wet.

Next, he grabbed a bottle of shampoo from the tub’s ledge and poured some in his hand. He set the bottle down and started working it into a lather in Hank’s hair.

Hank sighed at the feeling and Connor massaged his fingers along Hank’s scalp, just the way he knew he liked. He pressed harder whenever Hank leaned his head into Connor’s fingers at certain spots. Connor hoped that if Hank had a migraine this helped with that too.

When he was done, Connor cupped more water in his hands to rinse out the shampoo. It wouldn’t completely get out since the tub water was soapy, but that was fine for now.

Connor grabbed the conditioner next and rubbed that into Hank’s hair with the same level of meticulousness. Hank only started using the stuff when Connor showed him how softer it made his hair. Hank suggested he could just cut it short and save himself the trouble but one look at Connor’s horror-stricken face had ended any haircut considerations.

Connor pressed another kiss to Hank’s shoulder and said, “Stand up so we can rinse off.”

Connor unplugged the drain and stood up first so he could take Hank’s hands and ease him up as well. He turned the faucet on and made sure it was the right temperature before switching it to the showerhead.

The spray turned on and Connor slid past Hank so he could rinse his hair off under the water.

Hank made quick work of it and tugged Connor to him by the hand.

Connor went willingly and wrapped his arms around Hank, pressing his face to Hank’s neck. They stood like that for a few minutes. Just embracing.

Hank was still tired though, so Connor pulled away and they took turns completely rinsing their bodies of soap. Hank shut off the water and Connor grabbed their robes off the towel hook on the door.

The robes were an expensive matching set Connor bought because they had the highest ratings for comfort he was able to find online. Hank had to admit they _were_ better than the tattered and thin thing he used to wear.

Robes on, they exited the bathroom and went back to the bedroom. They left the door open for Sumo and got right under the covers. It was only 5:44pm according to Connor’s internal clock, so he wasn’t going to stay. But Hank could use the sleep.

Hank tapped Connor’s LED in question. It must have cycled yellow.

“Just setting an alarm for myself, for Sumo.”

Hank huffed. “He’ll let us know if he needs to go out.”

It was true but better safe than sorry might as well be tattooed across Connor’s face.

Connor slid his leg neatly between Hank’s and wrapped an arm around his back. He angled his arm so that he could card his fingers through Hank’s still wet hair.

Hank placed his own hand against Connor’s back and rubbed circles into it. He didn’t feel a ton better, but he wasn’t on the verge of breaking anymore. It felt like Connor had eased some of that pressing weight and his presence reminded Hank that he wasn’t going to feel like this forever. Maybe it would take a week or a month or longer, but it would get better again. It always did.

He thought about going into work and getting set with another case like this one again. And he just couldn’t imagine it. He didn’t _have_ to work on them anymore. There would be other competent detectives, Connor especially. And the thought of going back in and doing it all again was enough to make his stomach turn.

“I want to retire,” Hank whispered.

“Okay,” Connor said.

“Okay?” Hank’s brow furrowed.

Connor reached a finger out to smooth it and smiled. “You could have retired years ago, but you stayed. Even after…” After Cole passed. It didn’t need to be said. “Why?”

“Same reason I stayed my first year on the job. I thought I could help, that I could make a difference. But I never felt like I accomplished that. The whole system is broken, benefits the wrong people.”

“I don’t think that will ever change, but you did make a difference. The red ice-”

“The red ice ring was good, sure. But when one goes down, two more pop up like a damn hydra.”

Connor had that determined look on his face, the one Hank always sees when he’s being extra stubborn. “You made a difference with androids, with _me_.”

“I appreciate that, but I only helped you for like two days before Markus won.”

“If you weren’t my partner, if you hadn’t shown me what being human was like, what caring was like. I don’t think I would be here. I deviated in front of Markus, but my software didn’t become unstable because of him. All the biggest instabilities in my logs were from you. Without them, I would have chosen to remain a machine because I wouldn’t have cared. But in that moment when he asked me to choose, I thought about you. And how if I completed my mission I would never get to see you again. It was selfish, but I wasn’t thinking about the other androids. I mean I was, but the bulk of it was just you Hank. And without me, the revolution would have won, but I would have assassinated Markus. He’s alive because of you.”

Connor realized Hank had started crying again. “Hank?”

Hank placed his hand on the back of Connor’s neck and rubbed his thumb against Connor’s cheek. “I’m okay, just- I’m so grateful for you. I don’t deserve you.”

Connor pressed his forehead to Hank’s and closed his eyes. “Shhh. You do. You’re so good to me, my love.”

Instead of denying it, Hank pressed their lips together and Connor took it as acceptance. It was the best he’d get for now, but he planned on one day Hank being able to agree.

“I love you. So much,” Hank whispered against his lips.

“I love you too,” Connor whispered back.

They fell asleep like that. Completely wrapped up in each other, so close that anyone looking may not have known where one person began and the other ended if it weren’t for the fact Connor let his skin fade away.

**Author's Note:**

> Title of the fic comes from the song Crosses by José Gonzaléz.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/thehankconsucc) if you want to see me yell about HankCon or if you want to know what my future fics are!


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